The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-09-21
CANYON JOE.

OAN O1N UOuI
My recolections Of Canyon Joe recall
sunique character, whose brief career
md violent end are not recorded in the
annals of the great and growing West.
He was an eXotic-a child of the East
out he grew to manhood among the
rough frontiersmen, and the howl of the
coyote, the shrek of the destructive bliz-
lard, were as music to his ear. His ma
ture was gradually transformed to a
toughness that matched we'll the hardy
cactus and the stunted chaparral. He
was called Canyon Joe because he was
found in canyon by some trappers and
adopted by me. He had strayed from a
wagon train on its way to Utah and got
lost. At this time he was fourteen years
old, and possessed of an amount of nerve
oped his capacity to cut wide and GRIM
son swath in any community that gave
him the slightest provocation. When |
met him it was several years after the
war. was with mining party pros
pecting in Arizona. We were in that
bleak but picturesque mountainous region
where old Geronimo so long defed the
United States army. There were fifteen
of us in the party, including a
half bred scout and several old
miners, who knew the country pretty
well. One evening We had struck
our camp on the mountain side, near a
small stream, and put out the usual
pickets for Indians, when we heard a
commotion and very soon the scout came
walking in, leading horse that had o
rider. The horscman was Canyon Joe,
and he seemed to be very happy to find
white men with plenty to eat and drink.
He had two Indian scalps, freshly taken,
dangling at the pommel of his saddle,
and he explained that he killed the red
skins in an open, square fight. The
miners present did not credit this and
rather suspected that he slipped upon
them unawares. His face looked as if it
had been tanned for ages by hot sun
and secured by dirt scoopcd from an
alkali plain. Although only medium
sized he seemed to possess wiry frame
and great physical strength ard endu-
rance. His eyes were small and piercing
black, set very close together, and sepa-
rated by the bridge of very thin aqui-
line nose. He asked permission to camp
with US that night, and agreed to act as
guide for the party during the rest of the
trip. It was considered better TO utilize
him than to have him at large-so we
gave him a cordial reception. After
supper we sat before small fire in front
of the tent. Canyon Joe drank freely
and began to relate some of his exploits.
The half-breed scout, a tall, athletic
man, sat. or rather reclined, on the
ground by the fire, opposite Joe. He
kept his eyes fastened on the latter and
listened attentively, but never venturcd
8 remark.
Canyon Joe related the following adj
venture: ''1t was along in the sixties
that | agreed to act as scout for q party
of nine men who wanted to explore the
country now known as the Black Hills.
These men were a tough lot, some
gamblers, some miners, and all good on
the shoot l was barely twenty years
old, and looked younger, so when l
offered myself as scout they laughed at
me and called me KID But when they
made inquiries, and learned that l had
been nearly everywhere in the West, and
killed as many Indians as the next one,
they accepted my services. If they had
not, intended to ask one or two out to
settle for calling me a kid. These men
somehow knew that plenty of gold was
in the Black Hills, and had map that
some miner gave them on his deathbed.
We started up the Little Big Missouri
River in a large yawl-boat, with plenty
of provisions and firearms. 1t was slow
work pulling up the river, but in ten
days we had gone quite distance. We
hadn't been bothered by Indians, and l
thought it mighty queer. 1t was in the
fall of the year and the weather was fine.
At night we tied our boat to the bank
and camped on shore. We always
took precautions, though, against
the Indians, for fear of a
surprise. Just about sunset one
day got ashore as usual and walked up
the bank to select place to camp while
the party rowed along in the boat. l
had not gone far when heard volley
of firearms. I rushed to the river and
saw the boat few hundred yards above,
but no one was pulling at the oars.
Every man in it was dead or dying. A
crowd of Indians on both sides OF the
river were firing into the boat, and some
were swimming out to bring it to shore.
The attack was a complete surprise, and
I have no doubt the first vollcy killed
them al. wanted revenge, but single
handed could not attack them Luck
ily l had my rifle and ammunition with
me or would have starved to death. I
knew that was far from any settlement,
and that if escaped the Indians might
meet death in some other form. crept
swiftly from the river, aided by the ap'
preaching night, and had gone about
half !. mile when big Indian stood
right up in front of me. Twas surprise
to him, and know he was to me, but
drove my hunting knife into his breast
50 quick that he tumbled back without
groan. He was stray Indian belonging
to the band who did the murderous work
at the river. For three days l kept up
brisk pace, and managed to kill some
game, which I at, raw. Then fatigue